–Begin by taking some deep breaths. As you breath, you begin to clear your mind.-
- Breathe in: I can
- Breathe out: hear God
-Continue this breathing exercise until you feel you are ready to continue.-
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Mark 1:22
In this story, Jesus taught as one who had authority. What does it mean to teach with authority? What did it mean to those who heard Jesus? As I thought about and studied this question, I came to understand that part of what this meant is that Jesus was not quoting other sources. The teachers the people heard at their synagogue quoted other sources, like other scribes, priests, or authorities when they taught. Jesus was speaking with his own words and thoughts. He was speaking as a person who heard directly from God. Like Jesus, we can hear directly from God. Looking up what others say about God, a story, or scripture can help us to understand it, and we can get our answers from God as Jesus did.
Jesus came to restore our relationship with God. Jesus came to help us see God in a new light. We can hear from God!! Yes, there are times we hear from God by listening to what others have to say, and we can hear directly from God as well. Sometimes this understanding comes through reading scripture, sometimes through something we see, sometimes through a relationship. We can see God in everything around us.
- What is God saying to you?
- Where are you seeing God?
- How are you seeing God?
-Please take a moment.-
-Take some deep breaths.-
- Breathe in: I can
- Breathe out: hear God
God, thank you for being there to reveal yourself to us. We thank you for showing up when we least expected it, and when we least deserved it. You are there with us in everything. Thank you for revealing yourself to us. Amen